Devices and methods for selecting predetermined amounts or portions of elongated, dried pasta, such as spaghetti, are known in the prior art. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,874,085--Atkins disclosing a gauge in the form of a horizontal plate having a plurality of circular holes of different diameters; U.S. Pat. No. 4,120,094--Pfaelzer disclosing a gauge in the form of a vertical member having a V-shaped notch; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,165,565--Clantier et al., disclosing a gauge having a plurality of measuring troughs of respectively differing sizes. All of these prior art gauges require the user to hold and manipulate the pasta members during the metering operation. Because spaghetti and similar pasta shapes are very fragile, they are easily broken when using these gauges.
It would be desirable to provide a combination container and gauge wherein selected amounts or portions of the pasta can be easily removed from a container containing a supply of the pasta without physically handling the pasta which is removed from the container or which remains therein. The unused pasta will simply remain in the container for storage for later use wherefor the chances of breakage and spillage will be minimized. The use of such a gauge will eliminate the breakage and subsequent cleanup generally associated with the apportioning of spaghetti types of dried pasta. Moreover, by obviating the need to physically hold the pasta during the metering operation a more precise selection of the desired quantity of pasta can be made.